Katy Perry Is Reportedly Banned From Entering China to Perform at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Gigi Hadid shocked everyone yesterday when she revealed she wasn't walking in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The reason isn't clear, but people were quick to point to a video of Hadid seemingly mocking a Buddha cookie that went viral in February 2017. Chinese social media users were outraged after seeing the video and told Hadid that she wasn't welcome in the country. It's entirely possible the Chinese government cited this as evidence for not granting her a visa.

But Hadid isn't the only one who won't make it to China. Page Six reports that Katy Perry, who was set to perform at the show, has been denied a visa.

The outlet claims Perry was originally granted permission, but the decision was revoked after government officials learned about a sunflower-covered outfit she wore in 2015 while performing in Taiwan. (Sunflowers were adopted as a symbol for anti-China protestors in 2014.) She waved a Taiwanese flag during her concert too, which could've upset Chinese officials because Taiwan is trying to gain its independence from China.

“[Perry] was initially granted a visa to perform at the VS show in Shanghai, then Chinese officials changed their minds and yanked her visa,” a source told Page Six. “For every artist who wants to perform in China, officials comb through their social-media and press reports to see if they have done anything deemed to be offensive to the country. Maroon 5 was banned a few years ago because one band member wished the Dalai Lama happy birthday on Twitter.”

Models Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva, and Irina Sharipova have also reportedly been denied visas ahead of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Still, the show will go on: It's set to air November 28 on CBS.